System and apparatus for release of fluids



Feb. 4, 1936. D. MAPES SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR RELEASE OF FLUIDS FiledOct. 21, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DAN/EL MAPEd ATTORNEY Feb. 4,1936. D. MAPES sYs'rEM- AND APPARATUS FOR RELEASE oF' FLUIDS Filed Oct.21. 1931 2 Sheets$heet 2 Fla. 2

Fla. 3

' INVENTOR DAN/5L MAFEJ BY 0 W I:

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sizs'rEM ANDAgE AZIZZ'ZZJS FOR RELEASE UIDS' Daniel Manes, Upper Montclair, N. J.,assignors to Walter Kiddo & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application October 21, 1931, Serial No. 570,10211 Claims. (01. lea-11) In another application for Letters Patent of theUnited States,'Serial No. 278,009, filed May th, 1928, there is coveredacutter valve designed particularly for the release of carbon dioxideunder 5 pressure for the purpose of extinguishing fire, although capableof application for other'purposes. I In that application a single cuttervalve is'shown so designed that a plurality of such valves can beoperated by fluid pressure from anv external 1 source. In accordancewith that invention the plurality of cutter valves is connected inparallel for substantially simultaneous operation by pressure from asource or control pressure, and although the pressure released from thecontrolled. 1p containers is added to the pressure from the:

source of control pressure and assists the latter in actuating anycutter valve which has failed to operate sooner, the system is not sodesigned as to insure operation of all of the cutter valves." in

the present case it is sought to cover a plurality of cutter valves ofthe general type referred to in combination with a plurality ofcontainers of fluid under pressure, the parts-being so designed,constructed and related that all of the cutter valves ofa battery ofcontainers may be operated through the release of a fluid under pressurefrom a single-control container or other source and so that the fluidreleased from the'control container can act on only one cutter valve ofa battery at '30 onetime, after the operation of which the con- I trolfluid is released to operate another cutter valve in the battery, etcetera'.

It is accordingly an obj ect of the present inven-' tion to provide apressure-operated cutter valve which is positive in operation, yetsimple in con- I struction.

' e It is afurtherobject of the invention to provide a system oroperating a. plurality of pressure-opa erated cu ter valves having thesame degree of positiveness of operation as a single cutter valve inaccordance with this invention,

, Another object is to provide a system which is initially operable onlyliy pressure from a source of control pressure and in which theaccidental release of pressure from any. controlled container,

as by development of excessive pressure with consequent release ofpressure through the containerclosure, will not cause operation of thesystem. Another object is to provide a system in which 'tliecuttervalves oia plurality of containers are operatively connected in seriesin a battery,fso that the control pressureacts on each pressuressAnother object is to provide a. system in which the cutter valves areconnected in series in a plurality of batteries, each connected to thesource of control pressure whereby failure of a cutter valve in anybattery to operate, as by reason of mechanical defects therein, will notaffect the operation of the cutter-valves in any other battery.

Further objects, not specifically enumerated .above, willbe apparent asthe invention is described in greater detail in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a complete system in accordance withthe present invention, showing a single control container operatlvelyconnected to a plurality of batteries of controlled 'containers providedwith pressure-operated cutter Au valves of special construction. xFigure 2 is a view in vertical, central section of one ,of the releasedevices or cutter valves shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, on a to somewhat smaller scale,but showing a difierent embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1 of the drawings there are repre sented at l containers ofcarbon dioxide from which fluid under pressure is discharged through ita pipe 2 (see Figure 2) which is extended in each container near to thebottom. To each container is secured one member 3 of a suitable coupinto which the pipe 2 may be threaded, such coupling member beingprovided at t with a seat for'a sealing disc 5 and sealing gasket 6 heldin place by a'thimble i. For convenience in manufacture and assembling asecond coupling member 8 is formed separately from the coupling member 3and may be secured thereto by threads 35 9 engaging cooperating threadson the coupling member 3. This coupling member is chambered, as at It,to receive with a'close-working fit; as at l I,, a piston member l2.

Actuated by the piston H which the sealing disc 5 is to be ruptured. Inthe construction shown this rupturing device is a tubular cutterextending within a passage M to permit the fluid from the container i,when released, to pass into the chamber iiand thence 45 through aport'lfi into one of the discharge lines I l which, as shown in Figure1, connect the out-V let ports l6 of the release devices with the inletports 18 of the adjacent'release deviees. In theinto an extension orreduced portion l9 0! the -.pistori l2. Itis also-shown as bevelled andsharp- .)perated (131m? valve in succession but only upon "one cuttervalve of the battery at one time.

ened atits lower end, as at 20, so that,' when driven downward bymovement of the piston 12, it will'c'ut out the disc 5 and allow thefluid to is a device M a to.

escape from the container I into the discharge line H. At 2I is shown acoiled spring for normally sustaining the piston I2 in its highestposition.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the piston I2normally closes off communication between the inlet port I8 and theoutlet port I6, but when the actuating pressure is applied through theinlet port' I8 the piston I2 is forced downward, carrying with it thehollow tubular cutter I3 which ruptures the sealing .disc 5 and permitsthe contents of the container I to be released through the hollowtubular cutter and the passage I4. By this time the piston I2 hasuncovered the outlet port I6 so that both the actuating fluid and thefluid released from the container I pass through the outlet port I6 andthe discharge line I! to the inlet port I8 of the adjacent cutter valve.The apparatus is preferably so designed that the rupturing of thesealing disc 5 is effectively completed before the piston I2 uncoversthe port I6 and permits the actuating fluid to proceed to the adjacentcutter .valve. In this manner a positive pressure-operated cutter valveis obtained in accordance with the present invention.

It will be apparent that development of excessive pressure within thecontrol container I will cause rupturing of the sealing disc 5, which isnormally designed as a safety disc, and in order to prevent operation ofthe piston I2 by the pressure fluid thus accidentally released from thecontainer I, the piston is provided with an upwardly extendingprojection 22 which has a close-working fit, as at 23, with a bored-outportion of a sealing nut 24 adapted to close the'upper portion of thecoupling member 8. This projection 22 is alsopreferably formed to engagethe bore in the sealing nut 24 along the surface 25. With thisconstruction there is no possibility of pressure accidentally releasedfrom the container I acting on the upper surface of the piston. At thesame time the pressure thus accidentally released is permitted to escapethrough ports 26 in the hollow tubular cutter I3 and the lower pistonextension I9 into the chamber III and then to the atmosphere throughports 21 in the wall of the coupling member 8. With this constructionthere is an additional safeguard against accidental operation of thepiston as the pressure in the chamber I0 acts on the entire underneathsurface of the piston and maintains it in its uppermost position.

In order to prevent escape of the fluid through the ports 26 when thecutter valve is intentionally operated, the ports 26 are designed torecede within the bore 28 in the lower part of the coupling member I,this bore being engaged with a close-working flt by the lower pistonextension I9 so that fluid released from the container I cannot reachthe chamber III and oppose the operative movement of the piston.However, the ports 21 will permit the escape of any fluid leaking pastthe lower piston extension I9, as well as any fluid leaking from abovepast the piston I2, and will at the same time prevent the building upvof back-pressure by the air contained within the chamber ll beneath thepiston..

Referring again to Figure 1', a source of control pressure is shown as acontainer 29 provided with a valve '30 operable by a control handle 3|connected to the valve by a flexible cable 32 passing around a pulley33, these controlling elements being old and thus forming no part of thepresent invention. The fluid outlet of the valve 30 is shown connectedby piping 34 to a fitting 35 and a fitting 36. Four batteries of threeof the containers I are shown connected to the fittings 35 and 36 byconnecting pieces 31, the outlet port I6 of each container in a batterybeing connected to the inlet port I8 of the adjacent container and theinlet port I8 of the first container in a battery'being connected by thepiece 31 to the piping 34. The outlet ports of the last containers ineach group are connected 'to a common manifold 38 by the connectingpipes 39 and 40. When the control fluid, which is of theqsame nature asthe fluid to be released from the controlled containers I, is releasedfrom the container 28 by the opening of the valve 30, the pressure ofthe control fluid acts upon the pistons of the first containers in eachbattery, and as soon as the pressure has actuated the cutter valves ofthese containers, it is released through the outlet ports of thesecontainers into the inlet ports of the second containers, this manner ofoperation containing until the last containers have been released,whereupon both the control fluid and the released fluid are dischargedthrough the common manifold 38.

With this arrangement, positive operation of the variouspressure-operated cutter valves is insured and if for any reason, suchas a mechanical defect in one of the cutter valves, a cutter valve inany battery should fail to operate, the operation of the other batterieswill not be affected.

The amount of fluid discharge lost by the failure of any cutter valve ina battery to operate will depend upon the position of the cutter valvein the battery. For example, if the cutter valve of the last containerof a battery of three containers fails to operate, only the fluid fromthat container will be lost for fire extinguishing or other purposes, asthe fluid released from the first and second containers will bedischarged back through the connections of the other batteries.

It should also b noted that the operation of the various batteries canonly be initiated by the control fluid, as the construction of theindividual cutter valves, whereby accidental releaseof fluid from anycontrolled container cannot oper- ,ate the piston of that container,likewise prevents operation of the cutter valves of any other con-'tainers in the same battery or in other batteries.

Referring now to Figure 3, the parts bearing the same referencecharacters as in Figure 2 are of the same construction and have the samefunctions as the parts in Figure 2 and further description of theseelements is unnecessary.

The chief difference of Figure 2 is in the construction of the piston I2' and in the arrange- -ment of the inlet port II'." and the outlet portI6. In this construction the outlet port I6 is arranged in a sealing nutll" closing the upper portion of the coupling member I so as to form thechamber I5. A cage is threaded into the sealing nut I so as to form agas-tight joint and is provided at its lower end with ports 43. The

lower surfaces 44 and 4501' the cage 62 are adapted toengagercorresponding surfaces of a bored-out portion of the piston I 2with a closeworking flt, so as to produce a substantially gastight seal.The circumference of the piston I 2' is grooved at 46 so as to bereleasably engaged by the spring-pressed ball 61 of a commerciallyobtainable catch 46 which is supported in the coupling member 8 throughthe inlet l8, it actsupon the upper surface of the piston I2 whichadvances the hollow tubular cutter i3 rupturing the sealing disc 5 andreleasing the contents of the container l. The parts are preferably sodesigned that the rupturing of the sealing disc 5 is efiectivelycompleted before the piston l2 uncovers the ports 43. The continueddownward movement of the piston then completely uncovers the ports 43and both the actuating fluid and the released fluid flow out through theports 43 and the outlet port Hi to the inlet port l8 of the adjacentcutter valve.

It will accordingly be noted that the construction in accordance withFigure 3 can be employed in the general arrangemnt shown in Figure 1equally as well as the construction shown in Figure 2 and in connectionwith both of these constructions it should be noted that it ispreferable to design the inlet and outlet ports so as to take thecombined flow of the medium released from allythe containers in a singlebattery without throttling or flow.

, It will accordingly be seen that I have invented a novel system oroperating fluid releasing devices together with certain novelconstructions of such devices and, while the present invention has beendescribed with specific reference to the accompanying drawings, it isnot to be limited, save as defined in the appended cl.

1 claim as my invention: 1. In combination a fluid container having anopening and a closure for the opening, a body forming a. chamber, anoperating member in the form of a piston in said chamber, an inlet foratting an operating fluid into the chamber above the operating member toactuate the same.

an opening member associated with'said operating member, said openingmember being operable by said operating member to open said closure, anoutlet portnormally closed oft by the operating member from the spaceabove the operating memher and uncovered by movement-thereof to releasethe operating fluid only after the opening or the closure member hasbeen efiectively completed, and a passage for connecting the space abovethe closure with the space'above the operating member after the latterhas been operated, said passage being formed in said opening member andsaid operating member and closed by a portion of the .body when theoperating member is in its inoperable position, said passage being openwhen the'operating member is moved to a position where the openingmember opens the closure, whereby the fluid released from the containermay also be discharged through the outlet port after it has beenuncovered by the operating member.

2. lnacombination a fluid container having an opening and a closure forthe opening, a body forming a chamber, an operating member in the formof a piston in said chamber, an inlet for admitting an operating fluidinto the chamber above the operating member to actuate the same, anopening member associated with said operating member, said openingmember being operable by said operating member to open said closure, anoutlet 'port normally closed off by the operating member from the spaceabove the operating member and uncovered by movement thereof to releasethe operating fluid only after the opening of the closure member hasbeen efiectlvely completed, a

passage connecting the'spaceabove the closure with the space above theoperating member when the latter has been operated, said passage beingformed in said opening member and said operat ing member, whereby thefluid released from the container may also be discharged through theoutlet port after it has been uncovered by the operating member, andmeans to prevent operation of the operating member by the fluid from theforming a chamber, an operating member in the form of a. piston in saidchamber, inlet for admitting an operating fluid into the chamber abovethe operating member to actuate the same, anopening member associatedwith said operating member, said opening member being operable by saidoperating member to open said closure, an

outlet port normally closed oil by the operating member from the spaceabove the operating member and uncovered by movement thereof to releasethe operating fluid only after the opening of the closure member hasbeen effectively completed, a passage connecting the space above theclosure with the space above the operating mem-= ber when the latter hasbeen operated, said passage being formed in said opening member and saidoperating member, whereby the fluid released from the container may alsobe discharged through the outlet port after it has been uncovered by theoperating member, and means to prevent operation of the operating memberby the fluid from the container when accidentally mitting an operatingfluid into the chamber above the operating member to actuate the same,an opening member associated with said operating member, said openingmember being operable by said operating member to open said closure, anoutlet port'normally closed oh by the operating member from the spaceabove the operating member and uncovered by movement thereof toreleasethe operating fluid only after the opening of the closure member hasbeen eiiectively completed, a passage connecting thespace above theclosure with the space above theoperating member when the latter hasbeen operated, said passage being formed insaid opening member and saidoperating member, whereby the fluid released from the container may alsobe dischargedthrough the outlet port after it has been uncovered by theoperating member, means to pre-t vent operation or the operating memberby the fluid from the container when accidentally re- 1 leased by reasonof the development or" excessive pressure in the container, said lastnamed'means shutting oil access between the container and the spaceabove the operating member when the operating member is in itsun-operated position, and

means to permit escape of the fluid when accidentallyrreleased.

5. In combination a fluid container having an opening and a closure forthe opening, a b

forming a chamber, an operating member in the form of a piston in saidchamber, an inlet for admitting an operating fluid into the chamberabove the operating member to actuate the same, an opening memberassociated with said operating member, said opening member beingoperable the closure with the space above the operating member when thelatter has been operated, said passage being formed in said openingmeinber and said operating member, whereby the fluid released from thecontainer may also be discharged through the outlet port after it hasbeen uncovered by the operating member, means to prevent operation ofthe operating member by the fluid from the container when accidentallyreleased by reason of the development of excessive pressure in thecontainer, said last named means shutting off access between thecontainer and the space above the operating member when the operatingmember is in its un-operated position, and means to permit escape of thefluid when accidentaly released, said last named means comprising apassage connecting the container above the closure with the chamberbeneath the operating member and a passagetherefrom to the atmosphere.

'6. In combination a fluid container having an opening and a closure forthe opening, a body forming a chamber, an operating member in the formof a piston in said chamber, an inlet for admitting an operating fluidinto the chamber above the operating member to actuate the same, anopening member associated with said operating member, said openingmember being operable by said operating member to open said closure, anoutlet port normally closed 06 by the operating member from the spaceabove the operating member and uncovered by movement thereof to releasethe operating fluid only after the opening of the closure member hasbeen eifectively completed, a passage connecting the space above theclosure with the space above the operating me ber when the latter hasbeen operated, said DflSr/ sage being formed in said opening member andsaid operating member, whereby the fluid released from the container mayalso be discharged through the outlet port after it has been uncoveredby the operating member, means to prevent operation of the operatingmember by the fluid from the container when accidentally released byreason of the development of excessive pressure in the container, saidlast named means shutting ofi access between the container and the spaceabove the operating member when the operating member is in itsun-operated position, and means to permit escape of the fluid whenaccidentally released, said last named means comprising a passageconnecting the container above the closure with the chamber beneath theoperating member and a passage therefrom to the atmosphere, said lastnamed passage likewise serving to prevent the building up of effectiveresistance to the operative movement of the operating member. F

7; In combination: a primary receptacle carrying a fluid under pressure,primary fluid retaining means for'retaining said fluid in saidreceptacle, a delivery means into which said fluid is delivered when itis released, and primary operating'means for operating said primaryfluid retaining means in a manner to release the fluid from said primaryreceptacle; and a plurality of secondary receptacles carrying a fluidunder pressure, each having a chambered body member, a secondary fluidretaining means associated with each said chambered body member forretaining said fluid in each said secondary receptacle, a secondaryoperating means for operating each said secondary fluid retaining meansin order to release the fluid from each said secondary receptacle, anda-fluid operated means mounted in the chamber of each'said body memberfor actuating each said secondary operating means; each said chamberedbody member having an inlet for admitting an operating fluid into thebody member to a surface of the fluid operated means to actuate thesame, an outlet passage in the body member normally closed off from thesurface of the operating member to which the operating fluid is admittedand adapted to be opened thereto by movement of the operating member torelease the operating fluid to the outlet only after the opening of theclosure member has been eflectively completed, and a normally closedfluid conducting passage adapted to be opened by movement of theoperating member to connect the space above the closure with the outlet;said outlets and inlets of said secondary receptacles being operativelyconnectedin succession for fluid conduction to form a group ofreceptacles and the inlet of the head receptacle of the group beingconnected to said delivery means; whereby upon release of fluid from theprimary receptacle the fluid operated means directly connected to thedelivery means is acted upon by the fluid released from the primaryrcceptacle, 'and each succeeding fluid operated means is acted upon insuccession both by the fluid released from the primary receptacle andthe fluid released from the preceding receptacle or receptacles.

8. In combination: a primary receptacle carrying a fluid under pressure,primary fluid retaining means for retaining said fluid in saidreceptacle, a delivery means into which said fluid is delivered when itis released, and primary operating means for operating, said primaryfluid retaining means in a manner to release the fluid from said primaryreceptacle; and a plurality of secondary receptacles carrying a fluidunder pressure, each having a chambered body member, a secondary fluidretaining means associated with each said chambered body member forretaining said fluid in each said secondary receptacle, a secondaryoperating means for operating each said secondary fluid retaining meansin order to re-- lease the fluid from each said secondary receptacle,and a fluid operated means mounted in the chamber of each said bodymember for actuating each said secondary operating means; each saidchambered body member having an inlet for admitting an operating fluidinto the body member to a surface of the fluid operated means to actuatethe same, an outlet passage in the body member normally closed 011 fromthe surface of the operating member to which the operating fluid isadmitted and adapted to be opened thereto by movement of the operatingmember to release the operating fluid to the outlet only'after theopening of the closure member has been effectively completed, and anormally closed fluid conducting passage adapted to be opened bymovement oi the operating member to connect the space above the closurewith the outlet; said sec- Cal ondary receptacles being operativelyconnected in a plurality of groups, the outlets and inlets of thesecondary receptacles in each group being operatively connected insuccession for fluid conduction and the inlets of the head receptaclesin each group being connected tothe said delivery means in parallel;whereby upon release of fluid from the primary receptacle the fluidoperated means directly connected to the delivery means in parallel areeach acted upon by a portion of the fluid released from the primaryreceptacle, and each succeeding fluid operated means in a group is actedupon in succession both by a portion of the fluid released from theprimary receptacle and the fluid released from'the preceding receptacleor receptacles in the same group.

9. In combination: a primary receptacle carrying a fluid under pressure,primary fluid retaining means for retaining said fluid in saidreceptacle, a delivery means into which said fluid is delivered when itis released, and primary operating means for operating said primaryfluid retaining means in a manner to release the fluidfrom said primaryreceptacle; and a plurality of secondary receptacles carrying a fluid.under pressure, each having a chambered body member, a secondary fluidretaining means associated with each said chambered body member forretaining said fluid in each said secondary receptacle, a secondaryoperating means for operating each said secondary fluid retaining meansin order to release the fluid from each said secondary receptacle, and afluid operated means mounted in the chamber of each said body member foractuating each said secondary operating means; each said chambered bodymember having an inlet for admitting an operating fluid into thebodymember to a surface of the fluid operated means to actuate the same, anoutlet passage in the body member normally closed off from the surfaceof the operating member to which the operating fluid is admitted andadapted to be opened thereto by movement ofthe operating member to'release the operating fluid to the outlet only after the opening of theclosure member has been effectively completed, and a normally closedfluid conducting passage adapted to be opened by movement of theoperating member to connect the space above the closure with the outlet;said secondary receptacles being operatively connected in a plurality ofgroups, the

outlets and inlets of the secondary receptacles in each group beingoperatively connected in succession for fluid conduction and the inletsof the head receptacles in each group being connected to the saiddelivery means in parallel; whereby upon release of fluid from theprimary receptacle the fluid operated means directly connected to thedelivery means in parallel are each acted upon by a portion of the fluidreleased'from the primary receptacle, and each succeeding fluid operatedmeans in a group is acted upon in succession both by a portion of thefluid released from the primary receptacle and the fluid releasedfromthe preceding receptacle or receptacles in the same group; the outletsof the last receptacles in each group being operativelyconnected to acommon discharge line.

'. In combination, a fluid container having an opening and a closure forthe opening, a body formed with a chamber, an operating member in theform of a piston in said chamber, an inlet for admitting an operatingfluid into the chamber above the operating member to actuate the same,an opening member associated with said operating member, said openingmember being operable by said operating member to open said closure, anoutlet port normally closed off by the operating member from the spaceabove the operating member and uncovered by movement thereof to releasethe operating fluid only after the opening of the closure member hasbeen effectively completed, and a normally closed fluid conductingpassage adapted to be opened by movement of the operating member toconnect the space above the closure with the outlet,

whereby the fluid released from the container may also be dischargedthrough the outlet when the passage has been opened by movement of theoperating member.

11. In combination, a fluid container having an opening and a closurefor the opening, a body formed with a chamber, an operating member inthe form of a piston in said chamber, an inlet for admitting anoperating fluid into the chamber above the operating member to actuatethe same, an opening member associated with said operating member, saidopening .member being operable by said operating member to open saidclosure, an outlet port normally closed off from the space, above .theuncovered by movement thereof to release the operating fluid only afterthe opening of the closure member has been effectively completed, andanormally closed fluid conducting passage adapted to be opened bymovement of the operating member to connect the space above the closurewith the outlet, whereby the fluid released from the container may alsobe discharged through the outlet when the passage has been openedbymovement of the operating member.

' DANIEL MAPES.

